SU caught some of the game 7 NBA playoff series games over the weekend. Very exciting. Question for the intergalactic subscriber base: why do NBA teams revert to 1 on 1 play for long stretches of the 2nd half when playing a more team-based approach got you to where you are? Is it really that much more efficient? And help me to understand why James Harden walks the ball up the court and barely clears half court at the 8-second mark on the 24-second clock? And why do you get the ball to Durant with 5 seconds left on the clock possession after possession? Is it to avoid the double-team by the Bucks if you started the offense any earlier?
I don’t love the Nets – I am sort of neutral on them – but I did root for them. With Irving out and Harden really hampered by a pulled hamstring (amazing that he could even play – credit to him for trying and playing huge minutes), perhaps you just don’t have anyone else who can contribute but SU says that is where you have teammates who can step in and play. By shortening the bench (and I mean really shortening the bench), Durant is gassed by the end of the game. And you are making superstars like Harden, Durant and Blake Griffin have to play defense for the first time in their careers. It’s a lot to ask. On top of that, you run all 1 on 1 sets.
Milwaukee was also down a starter (DiVincenzo) at shooting guard – not much mention of that by the announcers. The Bucks were the better “team” and are a legit shot to win it all. Props to them for pulling out that series. The NBA doesn’t have the marquee teams playing in the final 4 but hey, can’t say I miss the Lakers this year.
No way the Sixers should have lost that series against Atlanta. Doc Rivers does not have a good career coaching record in deciding game 7s. Trey Young was in John Starks territory for much of game 7 but made just enough plays at the end to pull himself out of there. I know the Sixers always talk about “the process” but they will need to retool for next season as Ben Simmons was really exposed that series.
The US Open was quite exciting this weekend. So many of the top golfers were in the mix for a time there yesterday. I must say that I was surprised that none of those hang gliders ended up on the golf course by accident.
The Yankees capped a good week and are now only 4.5 games out of 1st place. SU says do not be fooled here. The right-handed line-up is still struggling and Gary Sanchez will not be hot forever – or stay healthy. If nothing else, the team has shown Cashman that he should be a buyer and not a seller come the trade deadline but he needs to go bold.
Good story in today’s New York Times on my man Djokovic:
Finally, SU has checked in on the NY Islanders and they are quite a story in the playoffs. That’s been a compelling series – as some on this site have noted over the past few weeks.
Sports Update Intergalactic 
Basketball is all about mismatches. Trey Young gets it at the top of the key. Atlanta also got the mismatch in their favor at the size difference in their shooting/power forward in Gallinari. And then Philly forgot about Huerter who had the best of his life. The biggest problem Philly had, in which I blame their coach is why Embid was handling the ball 25 feet out. Why isn’t he posting his defender up near the basket. By the time he made his move there was only a couple of seconds left on the clock. Philly also rarely penetrated and then passed to the open man for a good look at a 3. Trey Young is now a bonfide superstar. The roll plyers around him are in synch and also play better defense than Philly. Thjey had 5 men in double figures while Philly had 3 players. Alot of the same can be said about Milwaukee. Balanced teams seem to win more. The two best teams in the east will be a war.
Meanwhile the Clippers lose their best player. The Suns lose one of their best players and they both won. Its all about balance.
With how mediocre at best the Yankees have played before going into their last two series yet only to be out by 4.5 games is fortunate for them. remember, its not how you start but how you finish. As poorly as they have been hitting eventually things average out. Lets sweep KC and then its on to Boston. I am feeling better overall and expect them to get even closer to the top by next Sunday.